Larry Murray & Carole King Murray Family

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Death: 02 MAY 1960 in Chicago, Cook County, IL USA of Killed in Helicopter crash

Note: [tbaldy.ged] [Broderbund Family Archive #110, Vol. 1 A-L, Ed. 5, Social Security Death Index: U.S., Date of Import: Jan 4, 2000, Internal Ref. #1.111.5.12247.180] Individual: Baldy, Leonard Social Security #: 353-12-3774 SS# issued in: Illinois Birth date: Feb 15, 1927 Death date: May 1960 Newspaper story regarding his death: FLYING COP BALDY KILLED Patrolman Leonard Baldy, 33, of 7343 Howard st., familiar to millions of Chicagoans as W-G-N's voice from the sky, was killed Monday when a helicopter crashed in flames. The crash occurred on the Chicago and North Western railway right of way near Hubbard street and Milwaukee avenue. Also killed was the hellcopter's pilot, H.G. Ferry, 40, of 1816 Mannheim rd., Des-Plaines. Baldy was preparing to broadcast traffic directions from the aircraft at the time of the accident. Patrolman Robert Eis, 29, of the Racine avenue station, who was directing traffic a block away, said the helicopter was flying at an altitude of about 200 feet above the triple intersection of Milwaukee and Union avenues and Hubbard street, when the rotor seemed to "break up." "Falls Straight Down" "The helicopter seemed to tilt on its side, and then burst into flames," he said. "It fell straight down." The craft struck the north parapet of the railway embankment, just west of the overpass which carries the tracks over Milwaukee and Union. Fragments of the helicopter were scattered over an area a block square. Part of the fuselage remained on the tracks, but the remainder crashed into Union and Hubbard, miraculously missing automobiles in the rush hour traffic stream. Baldy's decapitated body fell into the middle of Milwaukee avenue. Ferry's body remained in the wreckage. Baldy's head and his uniform cap were found 60 feet apart on the Wisconsin division viaduct on the North Western, separated by about half a block from the Galena division viaduct where the main wreckage fell. "Like Breaking Bottle" Walter Alvin, 59 of 952 Lawrence av., a carpenter, who was waiting for a bus at Milwaukee and Grand avenue and Halsted street, a block away, said he was watching the helicopter and: "It blew up in the air, just like a bottle. It exploded in the air and looked just like a breaking bottle. "One man was blown out. The tail section broke away and papers were blown out." A portion of the tail section fell into a rear yard at 707 Grand av. Edsion Maurer, who lives there, said he heard an explosion and went outside just in time to see the tail section crash into the yard. Edwin Cruz, 23, of 3622 Broadway, a cab driver, was driving south in Ogden avenue, on the overpass north of Chicago avenue. With him was another cab driver, Michael Zurad, 40, to 2320 Charleston st. They saw the helicopter just after it exploded. They said it was spinning in the air, and as it spun part of the tail section fell off. Then it crashed. Slips in Midair Ted Miller, 55, of 1244 N. Dearborn st., an entertainer said he heard the helicopter at a low altitude and then saw it swing to the right as it slipped over in midair. "It seemed to fall apart," he said. "Things started to fall out of the craft and the blades fell off and it crashed to the railroad tracks." Frank Tischer,42, owner of a tavern at 421 Milwaukee av., said the helicopter was "burned to a crisp; you couldn't tell it had been a helicopter." He said he ran into the street when he heard an explosion that sounded like a big puff. Leaves from Meigs Baldy checked in at the W-G-N newsroom in Tribune Tower at 3:45 p.m. and then went to Meigs field, where the helicopter took off. He was next heard at 4:20 p.m. when he checked into the W-G-N master control station KSB 840 by short wave radio on a telephone company frequency of 166.2 megacycles. About this time, the radio announcer calling the Chicago Cubs ball game said on W-G-N radio: "Where are you, Len, I can hear your copter, but I can't see you." "I'm right over the baseball field," Baldy replied. "I'm right over center field." Was to Get Plaque He was calling from the helicopter remote station, KA8380. That was the last word heard from him. Fire Commissioner Robert Quinn said he had just landed at Meigs field as Baldy was preparing to take off, and that he spoke with him briefly. Willaim O'Brien manager of Meigs field said that the helicopter's takeoff was normal and that visibility was unlimited. He said the helicopter did not communicate with the tower again after being cleared for takeoff. The helicopter was owned by Helicopter Air Lift, a division of Sky Motive, Inc., based at O'Hare field. Commissioner Quinn said the aircraft was worth $50,000 and carried $5,000 worth of radio equipment. Leaves 3 Children Baldy leaves his widow, Marguerite, and three children, Raymond, 9, Judith Marie, 7, and Timothy A., 2. Mrs. Baldy learned of her husband's death from her mother, Mrs. Donald Easthope, 3721 Page av., who learned of the crash while listening to the radio. Mrs. Baldy had been listening to the broadcast of a ball game. A physician administered a sedative to Mrs. Baldy. The Baldy children are being cared for by a neighbor, Mrs. Terry DiGregor, 7405 Howard st. Ferry leaves his widow, Mrs. Gloria Ferry, and three children, Gregg, Grant and Gloria. A former air force bomber pilot, he had been flying helicopters for Sky Motive, Inc., since last December. Hal Connors general manager of Helicopter Air Lift, said that an investigation is being conducted jointly by the Civil aeronautics board, the Federal Aviation agency, the company, and the Bell Aircraft corporation, manufacturer of the helicopter. OBIT: Leonard F. Baldy, beloved husband of Marguerite, nee Easthope; loving father of Raymond, Judith, and Timothy; son of Frank and the late Bertha; brother of the late Cecelia Kraft and J. Spencer. Funeral Friday, 9:30 a.m., from funeral home, 3834 W. Irving, to St. Juliana's church. Mass 10:30 a.m. Interment All Saints'. Member of C. P. D. St. Jude's league, and I. P. A. IRving 8-0666. Funeral newspaper story: Last rites were held Friday for Policeman Leonard Baldy, 33, Chicago's "flying cop" who died Monday in the crash of a helicopter from which he broadcast news of traffic conditions daily over radio station W-G-N. The Rev. Edward McLaughlin gave the funeral eulogy at a mass in St. Juliana's church, 7142 Osceola av. Two hundred friends, relatives, and associates of Policeman Baldy attended. Widow, Children Mourn The mourners included the widow, Marguerite; two of the three Baldy Children -- Raymond, 9, and Judith Marie, 7 -- and Mrs. Baldy's mother, Mrs. Donald Easthope. The youngest Baldy child, Timothy, 20 months, was left at home. Members of the public safety education bureau of the police department's traffic bureau were pallbearers. Illinois and Indiana state police, Cook county police, and the police departments of Cincinnati, Hammond, and South Bend were represented. Hold Service at Grave Members of Chicago Police post 18 of AMVETS formed a firing squad, and an honor and color guard, at a graveside service in All Saints cemetery, Des Plaines. Coroner Walter McCarron announced the selection of a blue ribbon jury for an inquest at 10 a.m. Tuesday in the county building in the deaths of Policeman Baldy and H. G. Ferry, 40, the helicopter pilot who also died in the crash.

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